Will Smith Responds to Fans Upset Over Non-Blue Genie in Live-Action ‘Aladdin’ Images

Thanks to a number of photos featured by Entertainment Weekly, Disney fans got their first look at the upcoming live-action remake of Aladdin. While Disney and Will Smith, who will be portraying the beloved magical being on the silver screen, did their best to provide context, many were still upset that the featured images showed a very human-looking Genie.

After seeing the first-look version, fans began to comment on the change from the iconic blue form of the animated classic’s Genie, although EW’s article itself had already explained the situation:

The final version of Will Smith’s Genie in his blue floating lamp form isn’t quite finished — the film is due in theaters on May 24, 2019 — but Ritchie gives EW a tease of what he’ll look like. “I wanted a muscular 1970s dad,” the director says. “He was big enough to feel like a force — not so muscular that he looked like he was counting his calories, but formidable enough to look like you knew when he was in the room.”

Still, it seems as though many readers didn’t get that far. Smith decided to address the questions himself via Instagram, saying “BAM!! First look at the Genie ‍♂️, Princess Jasmine, and #Aladdin! Check Me Rockin’ the Top Knot Ponytail Vibes in @entertainmentweekly (and yes, I’m gonna be BLUE! 🙂 )

With some fans still not understanding the image of a regular Smith but assurances of a blue Genie, the actor clarified a bit more.